In this workshop students will learn the pleasures of writing poetry. We will capture experiences from memories, dreams and the world around us. We will experiment with lively, evocative ways to enter into writing, using objects, language, and artwork, and will learn the elements of poetic craft. And we will read and discuss a wide range of poets, which will introduce you to the range and possibilities of poetry.

You will be surprised at how enjoyable it is to engage in the process of writing with the improvisational exercises we do each week. Each session will result in a draft of a poem, and a chapbook of students’ work will be distributed at the end of the course.

Hermine Meinhard’s book Bright Turquoise Umbrella, published by Tupelo Press, was a finalist for the Poetry Society of America’s Norma Farber First Book Award. Her poems have appeared in American Letters & Commentary, Barrow Street, Drunken Boat, Verse Daily and many other publications. A faculty member of NYU’s McGhee Division, the New York Writers Workshop and the Jewish Community Center of Manhattan, she also offers one-on-one writing classes and coaching. She has an MFA in poetry from Sarah Lawrence College.